Not a welcome idea

Abhijit Atre / TNN / Dec 12, 2006, 01:00 IST

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The state govt's proposal to allot prime land in Pune for a cricket academy has evoked a strong protest from villagers at Wagholi.

PUNE: The state government's proposal to allot prime land in Pune for a cricket academy headed by the Indian cricket selection committee chairman, Dilip Vengsarkar, has evoked a strong protest from villagers at Wagholi, about 20 km from here.
The former captain of the Indian cricket team had recently approached the state revenue ministry seeking “12 acres of government land” for establishing a cricket academy, under the aegis of Dilip Vengsarkar Foundation.
The villagers are up in arms against the proposed land allotment as the plot is being used for Wagholi's weekly market (athawade bazaar) for the last five decades.
Led by sarpanch Ramdas Dabhade, the villagers on Monday staged a rasta roko on the Pune-Ahmednagar highway from 10.30 am to 11 am. Dabhade and the gram panchayat members then launched an indefinite hunger strike outside the Gyanba Moze college campus in Wagholi.

They are also protesting against the Gyanba Moze Trust — patronised by former NCP MLA Rambhau Moze — which too has secured a 12-acre vacant government plot in the village for the expansion of the Moze college.
Dabhade handed over to TOI a copy of a letter, dated July 28, 2006, issued to him by the circle office, Pune district collectorate.
The letter states: “Dilip Vengsarkar had applied to the state revenue minister and had sought 12 acres of land in Wagholi for a cricket academy to be run by the Dilip Vengsarkar Foundation. He has surveyed the area and has demanded government grazing land, plot number 1629. Hence, please issue a gram panchayat resolution accordingly.”

About the Author

Abhijit Atre

Abhijit Atre is a senior assistant editor at The Times of India, Pune. He heads the news bureau and is responsible for city and regional news. Abhijit holds a PG degree journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication. His portfolio includes urban planning, infrastructure, real estate, budgets and law. His hobbies include reading Marathi poetry, sports and public speaking. Abhijit has won 20 state-level awards in debating. Read his blog at "atre-uvach.blogspot.com".

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